A lot of artists, especially independent musicians, record their music at their own home. There are some benefits in doing it at home compared to the studio. You can save money, you can be more comfortable in your own space, and you have unlimited time. However, there are some challenges that you might face when you are recording at home. So, I will give you some tips on how to make your home-recording session a great one.

Familiarize Yourself with the Gears and DAW

To record at home, you will need recording gears. Those include mic, mic stand, pop filter, headphones, sound card, instruments, amp, and many other stuff. Make sure everything works properly, and you know how to use every single one. Also, play around with your DAW before you start recording. You need to be familiar with the software to make your recording session more efficient. I reviewed some DAWs in the past, including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live. You can check it out if you need help choosing the best DAW for your needs. 

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Check Your Level

Since you will be doing everything yourself, you probably won’t be watching the audio levels when you are singing. That is why it is important to check your level before you start recording, otherwise the volume might be too low or too high. My suggestion is to set your initial level at -12db. This will give room for dynamics in your performance, especially if your song has a lot of loud parts. Try singing and record the whole song before your first take to make sure you have the correct level. This way, your recording will have the perfect level, and you won’t have to worry about peaking audio that might ruin your music.

Treat Your Room

Avoid recording in an echoey or reverby room. The cleaner the audio, the easier it is to edit later. Surround yourself with things that absorb noise like blankets, towels, rugs, curtains, or you can invest in one of those foam acoustic panels. My favorite place to record is actually inside the closet, because I am already surrounded by hanging clothes, so I don’t have to do much room prep before a recording session.

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Turn Off the Noise

Good mics can pick up any sound, even the quietest ones. You might not realize, but there’s a lot of things that make noise around your home. The humming of the air conditioner, the ticking of the clock, the buzzing of your lamp, all can ruin your perfect take. I suggest you find a space that has the least noise in your home. So stay away from the kitchen with the humming fridge. Also, you can turn off everything that might create sounds. I often take the batteries out of my clock so the ticking sound won’t clash with my metronome.

Now that you know what to do, you can start recording at home. With great preparation, you can expect great results. Good luck, and go hit that record button!